SCIMS

The National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) Database was established in 1973 as a repository of data collected through the collaborative efforts of federally funded SCI Model System Centers. There are 14 SCI Model System Centers currently contributing data to the Database, with a total of 29 Centers contributing data since the Database’s inception. Through the end of 2016, there were 32,159 persons who have sustained traumatic SCI enrolled into the National SCIMS Database. This makes it the world's largest and longest active SCI research database and the world’s most extensive source of available information about the characteristics and life course of individuals with SCI. There are individuals enrolled into the National SCIMS Database who have now been followed for 40 years after injury.

RLANRC continues to serve a large SCI population with over 250 new admissions each year and a current patient population of over 3000 individuals, which historically has contributed an average of 49subjects per year to the National SCIMS Database. The establishment of the PCMH for SCI and ORCHID provides RLANRC with a DHS-wide electronic health record system that further enhances our research capacity.  Additionally, RLANRC has a long tradition of serving individuals who are often from underserved populations including individuals from racial and ethnic minorities (80% of our SCI population) and those from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds (over 50% of our SCI population).  Information from this group of patients will make a unique contribution to the National SCIMS  Database regarding the specific rehabilitation trends and needs of these under-served groups.

Please contact Linda Sutherland at Rancho Research Institute at (562) 385-7541 and we will be willing to answer any of your questions.